Flying-machine.



J. ANDERSON.

FLYING MACHINE. APPLIUATION FILED 11110.,31, 1909.

Patented Feb. 14, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

'J. ANDERSON.

FLYING- MACHINE. APPLIOATIOH FILED DEC. 31, 1909. I Patented Feb. 14, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2- Patented Feb. 14,1911.

' 4 SHEETS-SHEET s.

wi/bwmeo J. ANDERSON.

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED 1:20.31, 1909.

984,255. Patented Feb. 14 1911.:

4 MEETS-SHEET 4'.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN ANDERSON, E w sr MOUNT VERNON, MAINE.

FLYING-MACHINE. I

Specification; of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 31, 1909.= Serial No. 535,809.

To all' whom it may c0ncem: Bed known that I, JOHN ANDERSON, a

citizen of the United States of Americzuand resident f1. West Mount Vernon,, in the county -0 Kennebec and State of Maine,

have invented certain new and useful Inr provements in Flying-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to flying machines and particularly to those ofthe aeroplane pe. v An object of. this invention isto producea novel'form of truck'capable of traveling on the ground during the time .the momentum. is being developed to cause the plane to lift the apparatus to. begin the flight, means being provided on said truck for distributing vibration or shock on alighting' and novel means being provided for propelling-the truck while it is on the ground.

A still further object of: this invention is to provide an aeroplane in the general form of a bird, the wings of which are practically rigid with respect to the central beam, and means being further provided for connecting thetruck to the central beam in a mandeflected vertically forjthe purpose of 1 Furthermore, an objectof this invention is to produce an air ship, the planes of which. are of the general contour of' the wings of a bird and in the production of which-I utilize a central beam, with divergingribs, thesaid ribs being utilized to hold a fabric forming the planes,

'With the foregoing and, other objects in view, the invention consists-in the details of construction and in the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more. fully set forth and claimed.

"In describing'the invention in detail, reference will be .had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification wherein like, characters denote correspond ing parts in the several views, in which- 1 Figure 1 illustrates a view in elevation from the front of the air ship; Fig. 2 illustrates a side elevation thereof; Fig; 3 illustrates a top plan view partly brokenaway, .to expose the motor and the connections Patented Feb. 14, 1911.

therewith for supplying fuel thereto; Fig. 4

illustrates a plan vlew, of the frame with the fabric omitted; Fig. 5 illustrates an enlarged detail of the steering gear for changing the position of the wings; Fig. 6 illustrates a detail view partly in section on an enlarged scale for adjusting the rudder; Fig. 7 illustrates a sectional view of .the steering gear forthe wings; Fig. 8 illus-' trates a sectional view of the rudder operating mechanism; and ig. 9 illustrates a de- .tai1 view showing means for holding the wing-steering gear against movement. 7

In these drawings, I have shown a truck having a front axle 10 with wheels 11 thereon and a rear wheel 12 intermediate the front.

Wheels. The front axle and the rear wheel are connected by springs 13 which converge from the front to the rear and form a triangular frame for supporting the structure to be presently explained. In order. to produce a spring action on alighting, I prefer that the" s ringsl3 should be of the leaf type and 0 such strength as to properly perform the function ascribed to them. A compressed air tank 14 may be secured to the truck in any appropriate way and it is desirable that the said tank have a pipe or connection 15 leading therefromtoa motor 16 on the axle 10 in order that. the truclf'm'ay be prop'elled on the ground as'stated when the flyfing" machine is to be'started. I

The aeroplane is provided-with a central beam 17 to which hangers 'or stays 18 are connected'atthe front of the truck and hangers or stays 19 are. connected intermediate the length of the truck so that as the aeroplane ascends, the truck willbe carried with it and series of ribs 20 extend from the beam 17 on each side thereof and are of appropriate curvature to form wings simulating those of a bird. I have found in practice that the ribs near the front of the beam should be curved less abruptly than the ribs near the 1 rear end of the beam and that the ends of the tibs-or tips thereof should terminate practically in the same plane, thus forming wings, the tips of-which are practically straight or' parallel with the beam whereas the intermediate-portion of the wings, should lieved that the effect produced on the said be curved in such a we I as to produce planes, the-arcs of which gra ually Increase toward 'the rear.

In order to strengthen the structure of the planes I provide braces 21 extending across the beamthereabove, the ends ofsaid braces being secured to the ribs. There is a space formed between the braces and the ribs which accommodates the motor 22 prefer. ably of the gasolene type.- The shaft 23 of the motor extends forwardly and is proextend the beam 17 to form the central por-' tion 30 of the frame of the rudder and I have so shown the frame in *Fig. 4. I also provide the rudder frame with the sides 31 and 32 and connect the sides and central portion 30 by the cross strips 33 and 34. For the purpose of deflecting the rudder the cables 35 and 36 are connected to the cross piece 34 and said cables are rqn over pulleys 37 and 38 respectively whichare mounted on posts 39 and 40 extending fronrthe beam 17. The cables 35 and 36 are also run over pulleys 41 and 42 respectively and have their ends connected to an apertured band 43 which is in engagement with a toothed wheel 44. The toothed wheel 44 in turn is made integral with a hand operated wheel 45 mounted on a sleeve 46 which sleeve in turn is applied to a stem 47 which depends from the beam 17. i I have shown the hand wheel 45 as having a dog 47* in engagement with its hub in order that said dog may be utilized to hold the hand wheel at different positions of adjustment after the rudder has been set to a proper position. By swinging the dog 47 a on its pivot 48, its nose 49 may be disengazed from the hub of the hand wheel and said hand wheel will then be brought to be manipulated for moving the cables through the mechanism just described and it is berudder by the manipulation just indicated will be appreciated and understood by reference to Fig. 2. I have shown the sleeve46 as being provided with two flexible connections 50, and 51 which are run over guide wheels and 53 respectively and over a pulley 54. These flexible connections are provided for application to a valve of the fuel supply for the motor in order to control the material fed to said motor. As shown in the drawing, the flexible connections are provided with handles 55 by which they are manipulated.

In order'to tilt the planes iii-guiding the aeroplane, I provide the stem 47 which as stated has its upper end connected to the beam and said stem is provided with braces fi'fiwhich are connected to the stem near the lower end .thereof and toribs of the aero plane, thus forming a substantially triangular structure which, as it is oscillated, coininunicates movement to the planes. For the purpose of swinging thestem transversely of the truck I provide a guiding frame 57 in which the lower end of t} c stem travels and I connect to opposite sides of the said stem the cables 58 and 59 which cables are run over pulleys 60 and connected to opposite ends of an apertured strip 61'' which apertured strip is engaged by the teeth of the pinion 62 mounted to rotate'freely on the operating shaft (33. The operating shaft carries a clutch member 64 which is keyed to it and said clutch member acts in conjunction 'with a clutchmember 65 which is formed on the hub of the pinion (32. A sleeve 66 is adjustably hold on the shaft .63 and forms an abutment for one end of a spring 67 which spring has its opposite end bearing against the pinion to force theclutch members into engagement. By reason of the fact that the pinion 62 is free to partially rotate on the shaft 63 the aeroplane is permitted to move to a slight degree without affecting the truck and upon undue movement of the aeroplane the truck will be tilted because of the fact that the stem would have a connection with the truck through the cables and the gearing just described, it being understood that the shaft 63 isrotatable in the bearing (38 carried 011 the truck and in a bearing formed in. the arm'GS) extending from the rear stays 19. The arm 69 also forms a seat for the operatorand it may be of any width desired for that purpose.

As a means for holding. the clutch member 64 in diiferent positions of adjustment, the periphery of said clutch member is provided with teeth 70 which are engaged by a foot operated detent 71 pivotally connected -to the bracket 72. This last mentioned arrangement is provided for the purpose of preventing the mechanism from becoming uncontrollable through the action of currents of air of unusual force.

The purpose of having the wings rigid with the beam is to permit the two wings to move in unison, one of which will be ele vatcd while the other descends and vice versa. By reason of the rigid connection, the wings may be tilted from side to side for the purpose of maintaining equilibrium or for the purpose of steering or guiding the machine. By proper manipulation of the planes travel can be directed in a curve and 10- der capable of being flexed, means forflexby moving the rudder change in elevation may be attained. As the means for accomplishing the result have been fully set forth in the foregoing specification, further description of the operation is believed to be unnecessary.

1. In an air ship, an aeroplane having a beam, ribs extending laterally therefrom, a cover for the ribs, braces for the ribs, a ruding the rudder, a stem fixed to and depending from said beam at its forward end,

' braces effecting connection between said ribs and said stem, at its lower end, said beam, ribs, stem and braces all being relatively fixed, and means dfor oscillating the structure last defined through said stem.

2. In an air ship, a truck, a beam, hangers from the truck to the beam, a stem connected to the beam, planes extending from the beam, braces from the planes to the stem, means for OSCllliltlIlg the stem, and means for retaining the stem at different positions of adjustment, said beam, planes and stem all being relatively fixed.

3.- In an air-ship, an aeroplane having a beam, planes extending laterally therefrom, a pendent stem fixed to said beam, at its forward end, means for bracing said beam with said planes in fixed position, means for controlling the movement of said planes including a manually actuated shaft equipped with a toothed wheel, an apertnred flexible member engaging the teeth of said toothed member. flexible connections between said apert-nred flexible member and said pendent I stem, and guiding means for said flexible connections arranged laterally of and in alinement with said stem.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

( JOHN ANDERSON.

lVitnesses ,L. E. BARKLEY,

E. M. Moonn. 

